Page 110 of That First Flight

I know to an extent what love is. I love my brothers, my sister, my mom, and my nephew. I love the friend group we’ve created with Logan and the girls too. It’s become a bond between all of us that can never be broken.

But in love with Macey?

I huff out a breath. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

Thomas laughs. “I vividly remember saying the same thing about Peyton. I denied the feelings I had for so long. Mainly because she was my son’s nanny. She was there for James. It was never supposed to be more than that.”

“We all knew you were head over heels for her after that first night at the charity event where you two met.” I say.

“Exactly.” Thomas nods. “I know Marc isn’t here to speak for himself, but look at him and Avery… Those two fought their feelings hard. Remember those stupid rules she set?” He laughs again. “She had three. We knew Marc would be the one to break her most important one.”

“We also knew he fell for her after that first date,” I add. “Despite it being fake, it was definitely real from the outside looking in.”

“See what I mean?” Thomas offers me an encouraging smile. “You can deny your feelings for her all you want, but you just have to ride it out and see what happens between you two even if you have no idea how to do this. I should also add, it’sokayto change the direction of your life. If you’ve never wanted to settle down before and you find yourself wanting to now… that’s okay too.”

Logan sniffles next to us, wiping a fake tear from his eye. “Gosh, that was beautiful.”

“Fuck off,” Thomas and I say in unison.

“I justreallydon’t want to mess it up with her. I find myself nervous that if I say the wrong thing she’s going to run for the hills.”

“You can’t mess up what’s right for you.” Thomas shrugs.

His words ring in my ear as I sit in silence.

I never knew the first thing about what was right for me. But now that I have Macey, is this what was always meant for me? I don’t know… but what I do know is that I can’t deny the way I feel when I’m around her or the way I crave to be with her so much that I’ve put off trips.

Or the way I haven’t just fallen for her, but for her daughter too.

I can’t picture a life without either of them in it.

“Since we’re on the advice train…” I pause. “I do have a trip coming up.”

“That’s great,” Thomas exclaims.

“I was thinking about asking Macey if she and Mackenzie wanted to come with me for the weekend.”

Logan spits out his drink while Thomas looks at me with wide eyes unblinking.

My eyes bounce between both of them. “What?”

“It’s just…” Thomas starts.

“You never travel with other people,” Logan finishes for him.

“I do too.”

“Name one time,” Logan counters.

I stop to think about it. I’ve taken trips with people. I don’t like it, but I’ve had to take trips with others. That one time I went to California… wait, no. Oh, that time I went down to Texas for a week to help a hotel chain open a new location. Logan came… Shit… no, he didn’t.

“Okay, fine. You have a point.”

“You know how many times I’ve asked to tag along?” Logan says.

I throw my hands up in defense. “Okay. I get it. This is weird, isn’t it? Now I’m even more nervous to ask her.”

“Do what I do when you’re afraid to ask a question.” Logan straightens in his chair. “Text it.”

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